Manuel Lamar Cuervo

Lillo

(b. 1929, Colombia/Cuba)

Cuban comic artist Manuel Lamar Cuervo, who signed with Lillo, is the creator of such emblematic Cuban comic characters as 'Mantojo'. Lamar Cuervo was born in Bogota, Colombia, but spent most of his artistic life in Cuba. 'Mantojo' first appeared in Pionero magazine in 1961, and acted in educational and moralizing stories about punctuality, care of public property, respect for traffic laws, etc. The author was instructed by the Unión de Pioneros de Cuba youth organization, that published the magazine, to create a symbol for Cuban children.

'Mantojo' was continued in Zunzún, Pionero's successor, in 1980, and was also featured in animated cartoons and even a puppet film. Lillo's other characters include 'Titana', 'Lucas Rengfo', 'Sapito Pérez', 'El indito Baconao' and 'Chicho Durañón' (created with Gaspar Gonzalez) have also starred in animated cartoons. The author eventually emigrated to the United States.